"You just ate! You have to wait at least an hour
before you go swimming!"
You've certainly heard this warning before - from well-intentioned
mothers and grandmothers at beachside picnics, for example
- but is it fact or fiction?
Time's a Wasting
You genuinely feared heading into the water less than an
hour after eating those peanut butter and jelly sandwiches,
believing you'd either sink to the bottom or get severe cramps
Well, your folks might have been thinking they were saving
your life, but truth is that just about all of us can go swimming
right after eating without concern ...
According to Dr. Richard Fedorak, head of gastroenterology
at the University of Alberta Hospital, "The simple
average meal isn't going to affect your ability to get
into the water. That's a myth, and we need to myth bust."
Origin of the Myth
Although it is not known when the myth began, this old wives'
tale is based on the misinformed idea that the stomach will
take away some of the oxygen needed by your muscles while
In reality, the digestive process does divert the circulation
of the blood toward the gut and, to a certain extent, away
from the muscles. However, you have more than enough oxygen
to supply the stomach and skeletal muscles, and cramping might
be the biggest result.
According to Dr. Roshini Rajapaksa, a gastroenterologist
at the New York University School of Medicine, "swimming
strenuously on a full stomach could conceivably lead to cramps,
but for most recreational swimmers the chances are small."
Others have thought the notion of swimming soon after eating
is dangerous because of the discomfort experienced with strenuous
exercise after a large meal.
Breaking It Down
Taking some time to digest one's food does make sense to
settle any uneasiness or discomfort, but if you don't, it
won't cause you to drown if you take a premature plunge into
Considering how food is digested, waiting for complete absorption
of a meal is completely unnecessary.
After you consume food, the enzymes in saliva and the stomach
begin the digestive process right away. About half of the
consumed food remains in the stomach for two hours and for
the stomach to completely empty it takes about four hours.
You don't need to sit around and wait for that to happen.
The type of food you eat, however, does make a difference
in terms of digestion. Carbohydrates (like a carbonated beverage)
are known to digest more quickly than a fatty meal (hamburger.)
Neither the American Academy of Pediatrics nor the
American Red Cross makes any specific recommendations
about waiting any amount of time after eating before
taking a swim. Statistics show fewer than 1% of all
deaths by drowning in the United States occurred after
the victim ate a meal, and other causes might have been
You might not have to wait around after eating before your
splashing fun begins, but there are certain safety measures
one should remember when swimming.
The American Red Cross recommends everyone follow these important
Always Swim With a Buddy!
Know Your Swimming Limits and Stay Within Them
Obey All "No Diving" Signs
Watch For "Dangerous Too's." DON'T Swim
Use Common Sense About Swimming After Eating
Alcohol Impairs Your Judgement, Balance, and Coordination
A study published in the journal Pediatrics found one-quarter
of teenagers who drowned were intoxicated. A similar study
on adults found 41 per cent of drowning
deaths involved alcohol.